Diane Audrey Ngako is the founder and CEO of the Omenkart agency in Cameroon. The agency also includes Herman Kom Kamdam and Laeticia Minko, who are all in charge of organizing the first edition of the Douala Digital Show.
Can you tell us about the Douala Digital Show? The Douala Digital Show
is the marketplace for meeting key players in the technology and digital industry in Cameroon. The event will be held on December 6 and 7, 2019.
Through our content—conferences, keynotes, workshops, and learning expeditions—we want participants to have an unforgettable experience. Our master of ceremonies for this first edition is the talented Edith Brou.
Why did you choose to launch such an event?
Cameroon is experiencing a boom in connectivity and digital consumption patterns. In response to this development, the Douala Digital Show was created to bring together all those seeking digital transformation or new opportunities to meet others. We want to bring together all these people, who are among the many talented individuals driving the world towards a fourth industrial revolution: that of a connected world.
Why did you choose Cameroon as the host country?
Omenkart is a Cameroonian agency based in Douala. Although our field of activity often takes us to several countries (Ivory Coast, Senegal, Congo, Chad, Niger, Gabon, etc.), we wanted to focus on Cameroon in order to support local champions in their digital transition.
What will be the main highlights?
The Douala Digital Show will take place over two days. The first day will be dedicated to talks and keynotes with rich panels, which will take place at La Falaise Bonapriso.
The second day will focus on workshops and, at the same time, we will offer Learning Expeditions in three companies across Douala. The workshops will take place throughout the day at Cowork.Africa, a co-working space in the city.
And there are a few surprises in store with TV5 Monde Afrique…
Which personalities have already confirmed their attendance?
We already have confirmation from 80% of our guests. These include: Rebecca
Enonchong
, CEO of Appstech; Sylvianne Moudeke
, CEO of YUP Cameroon; Edith
Brou
, founder of Africa Contents Group; Nelly Kambiwa
, Marketing Cloud Account Executive at Salesforce; Mamadou Lamine Traoré,
Director of Orange Money; Nadine Kouamouo
, Web Product Manager at TV5 Monde Afrique; Paola Audrey
Ndengue
, CEO of Panelle and Co, Ulrich Takam
, content creator, Lionel Obam
, founder of LA Sunday in Abidjan, Georges
Mpoudi Ngole,
CIO of Camtel, Chedjou Kamdem
, from CM Stories…
To name but a few. This week, our website will be launched and the public will be able to access the detailed program and all the information about our speakers and the topics that will be covered.
What are your ambitions behind this event?
The main objective of the Douala Digital Show is to be a lever for the development of the digital sector in Cameroon. Our ambition is to generate traffic and make the event a benchmark in Cameroon and the sub-region so that more people participate and find opportunities for growth in their respective fields.
What are the main challenges for digital technology in French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa?
You know, to date there are still many obstacles to the deployment of connectivity: coverage of the territory, trust, high cost, relevance of offers, etc. Overall, these obstacles fall into three categories: network development (developing infrastructure as well as regulatory tools
), content development (offering applications or entertainment that address the issues facing Africans
), and trust development (strengthening cybersecurity, particularly in terms of payment
).
Despite the genuine capacity for innovation among sub-Saharan digital players, the issue of financing remains central. It is in this context that numerous initiatives are emerging, such as KmerTech, launched less than a week ago in Douala.
We believe it is important today for sub-Saharan African countries to develop incubators. However, it is important to bear in mind that these should not always be financed by governments, which struggle to connect them with private partners. Incubators must truly be seen in our region as genuine centers of research and development, guided by real political choices, so that innovation is better directed towards the needs of our beloved continent.
How do you see the future of digital technology in the sub-region and more specifically in Cameroon?
I will focus on Cameroon because it is a country I know and understand well. Even today, many Cameroonians still do not have access to the Internet. In order to support the growth of the digital sector, the government must extend fiber optics throughout the country, whether through FTTH (domestic) or FTTO (commercial) solutions. According to the Director General of the ART (Telecommunications Regulatory Agency), we will need to build more than 10,000 km of fiber optics in the short term to ensure adequate coverage of the country. This therefore requires significant investment. This action will also enable us to reduce the cost of the internet. I believe that this also applies to neighboring countries such as Chad.